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Apple Reportedly Dropped Plans for End-to-End Encrypted iCloud Backups After FBI Objected

Classie said:
Do I understand it correctly:
- Everything on your phone is impossible for Apple or anyone else to see, without knowing the password.
- Everything stored on iCloud is open if Apple gives permission.

If true it goes against a big part of what I thought Apple was all about - Privacy! One of the biggest selling points compared to their competitors.

More and more of your stuff is stored in the cloud instead of on your phone...
Click to expand...

You do, however have the choice.

It is entirely possible to use the device without any data going to icloud. IMHO once data leaves your device (and your own network), all bets are off - whoever your cloud provider is.

IMHO this is a reasonably acceptable compromise. I'd much rather any third party has to go through apple to get into icloud data than just break my phone via backdoor in that.
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foobarbaz said:
So, criminals will just not use iCloud backup and be safe. Regular citizens will use it and be subject to government or system administrator overreach …

What happened to backdoors make it unsafe for everyone? Why wouldn't that apply to backups?
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This isn't exactly the same as a backdoor in iOS.

Presumably access is on a case by case basis and via Apple, at Apple's discretion (presumably requiring a warrant). And if you really care you can turn iCloud backups off. Live location info they already have access to via your IMEI / carrier's cell coverage.

Not, it's not great but its a far better compromise than just putting a hole directly in iOS that random thugs can exploit at the side of the road... or malicious websites can exploit via your mobile browser or whatever. Or the government can log into and turn on camera/mic, etc.

No, i'm not happy about it either but... if it means they can keep a backdoor out of the actual device.... that's what i'm personally FAR more concerned about, and is much more concerning in terms of "warrantless wiretapping" style surveillance.
 
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I wonder if these backdoors are the same single backdoor Apple may be sharing with certain countries or even many countries :oops:
 
Rene Ritchie has a good video on this. It's a little long, but he goes over all the problems with the article, and how the assertions made in the headline and the piece don't make any sense.


It's basically an alarmist article done to generate clicks.
 
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stylinexpat said:
I wonder if these backdoors are the same single backdoor Apple may be sharing with certain countries or even many countries :oops:
Click to expand...

It's not a back door, it's more of a front door.

A back door is a secret hole due to a bug in the platform.

This
  1. isn't secret
  2. isn't a hole exposed via a bug
As per my previous post, this will require Apple's permission (so it won't be exploitable by random "bad guys" on the internet who find it - there will hopefully be a request process) and is not the same as bug in your phone that can be exploited to control the device (e.g., hot mic./camera without your knowledge)

As above, it's a "reasonable" compromise given the alternatives. The 5 eyes intelligence agencies will not accept going dark. And i get their needs to a degree. I feel bugs in end devices are too much. But ability to get at data with a warrant for specific cases through the appropriate channels.... i can grudgingly accept that if it means the end devices remain as secure as Apple's ability to write bug free software.
 
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Turned off iCloud backups I always use iCloud sync anyways. Always set my phone as new when I restore
 
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GalileoSeven said:
If they didn't drop those plans & did roll this out, you can bet we'd have seen legislation outlawing/banning encryption by now.

A pragmatic move on Apple's part.
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stop defending the elephant size hiprocrate. Apple is playing a see no evil speak no evil here.


Lounge vibes 05 said:
People, it's your iCloud backups that are not encrypted. Your messages and passwords are
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some of us store our peros la photo experiences here via iCloud photos, or screenshots is sms therein. Contacts Files data too. I’m very shocked by this. Where is the transparencyApple!!
 
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Ritsuka said:
Of course, that's true. Like Google can access everything you put on their server, or Dropbox, or Microsoft. If it's not end-to-end the service provider will be able to access it.
iCloud Keychain is end-to-end encrypted, and Apple can't access it. iMessage is another one.
Click to expand...

Edit. duplicate.
 
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Marekul said:
Of course they can not do it. They are participating in NSA prism program as Snowden documents have revealed.Why would Apple even ask or inform the FBI if they were serious about it.
In reality apples privacy skit is just marketing without much substance. They don’t protect you from advertisement tracking, and instead sell you out to google every year for billions. And they don’t protect you from totalitarian regimes, instead they hand over all infrastructure and encryption keys (see china).
It’s all a farce, there is no privacy with Apple where it really matters.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. However we don’t often here about Android devices and FBI wanting to gain access.
 
It is my understanding that the attached items are e2e encrypted on the iCloud and cannot be accessed by Apple?
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